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Egyptian lawyer Nabeeh Al Wahsh has filed a lawsuit against producers of the new television program “Shari’ Imhmad Ali” (Mohammad Ali Street), claiming that it aims to create a new generation of belly dancers, which is “ethically intolerable.”

The show is hosted by controversial Egyptian belly dancer Dina, who defended the program, claiming it protects the respectable art of belly dancing from extinction, reports the internet website MBC.net.

Nabeeh said that he will not allow such a program hosted by Dina and belly dancing legend Najwa Foad to be aired on different satellite channels.

Dina said that belly dancing is a respectable art that should be studied and enhanced. The West places great emphasis on belly dancing and throughout Egyptian history there were great dancers that became known worldwide, she added.

Belly Dance is a highly respected art form everywhere except Egypt. It is a highly skilled and complex dance form adopted by many nationalities. What a shame that the country that many see as it's birth place cannot be accepting of this amazing child. It brings happiness to many people and is not about being sleazy or immoral. It bring women together giving them something to enjoy - not to mention the amazing dresses and costumes!

Having a lot of money does not make a person or a country bad or good. It just allows a person to be more of what they already are. Belly dancing is the same. Watching or being a belly dancer will just make you more of what you already are. Belly dancing is a beautiful expression of the feminine. Anything you suppress and resist tends to be held in place. Mother Teresa said, "Don't invite me to an anti-war rally; invite me to a peace rally. Resist your beautiful art form and it will increase!

Psssssst.....i hate to tell you this Nabeeh, ol' boy, but there's ALREADY a new generation of bellydancers out there. We adore Dina, & if you won;t let her air it there, it will be aired elsewhere. Don't like it? Learn to deal then. We all have to learn tolerance at some point. Meanwhile, we new generation of bellydancers will keep dancing, and keep the beat & shimmies alive. Nener neener neener! :P

I'm a belly dance performer and instructor in the US and this is just another sad progression into fundamentalist tyranny. Belly dance is as much of a skill and art as ballet or sculpture! It is because of dancers like Nelly and Dina that we are inspired to dance in the first place.

I've seen local people "ooh" and "ahh" about belly dancers in Egypt and what a art it is, and then turn around and say if it was their sister or wife that they wouldn't allow them to dance.

Egypt needs to decide if they're going to cherish their age-old traditions (which made Egypt great) or accept the new rhetoric of "morals" and hate.

It is incredibly sad that in order for al wahsh to feel secure he needs to stop the progression of an art form that has shaped art, history, cultures and dance it self for generations. For centuries. This censorship will not keep your society moral. It well just keep it un educated about art & dance.

Open Letter to Mr Nabeeh Al Wahsh
I find you comments so backward and silly. Its time to think in a modern way. Belly dancing is an art and good for health.
If you do not like Belly dancing uyou do not need to wach. Simply flip the TV channel. You do not have to look at things you do not like. I do the same when there are stuff i hate towatch. Life is all about choices. Stop forcing your backward ideas on the free population of the country.